


Escape from Sodar

by Agent_Starfire



Category: Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:27:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 8,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26153419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agent_Starfire/pseuds/Agent_Starfire
Summary: Sodar is no longer safe, now that Sir Topham Hat is not in charge. Duck had been making plans should a day like this come...However, it is not something all engines want to hear.WARNING: There is a LOT OF CHARACTER DEATH IN THIS STORY. IT IS NOT INTENDED FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.
Comments: 16
Kudos: 16





	1. The Plan--And The First Lost

Duck had seen it coming. Ever since he came to Sodar, he had been counting off the days until this happened. Diesels were slowly taking over their jobs, and threatening to wipe them all from the face of that world. Only Oliver, and his brakevan, Toad, had known what Duck had been planning should an event like that come to be. And now, it was time to act.

"We cannot stay here. Every moment we wait, is another moment we may loose our chance to escape to the Narrow Gauge." Duck warned his fellow engines that night. "Get your coaches, get topped off and coal and water, we leave tonight." 

"It's so cold though.." Percy shivered. "And it's still snowing heavily."

"Duck's right though. This may be our only chance." Oliver backed up to Toad, both were ready to leave.

"I'm ready and waiting." Mavis said, not too phased by the snow. 

Duke, an old engine from the Narrow Gauge line, had come to help guide the runaways to his branch line. "I will show you the safest paths. Be warned though, there will be some detours due to landslides." he said softly.

"Remember." Warned Duck. "If you run out of water or coal, you'll be left behind. We might be in a group, but it's still every engine for himself."

They left at midnight. The snow was still falling, and slowly, it became colder. Most of the engines were silent, focused on the rails. They had not been out long when Toby found himself getting tired. he already knew his tanks didn't hold much water, and bringing Henrietta only meant his supply dropped twice as fast.

There had been a few brief stops for all to refill before heading out on the main line, though the feeling of dread lingered on Toby. He was an old tram, and he know when he started he couldn't make the journey. By next morning, all the water in his tanks was used up, and there was nowhere near by to refill them. He moved to a siding, which made Mavis stop and speak.

"Toby? What are you doing?" she asked.

"I can't go on, Mavis. I can't keep up, and my tanks have run dry, again." The tram's eyes looked down at the tracks.

"Well...We.." Mavis looked around quickly, but saw no way to fix the problem. Any lakes they had passed were frozen, and there was no pumps, or ways to use them, if there had been.

"Please...Take Henrietta, and take care of her for me."

"Are you nuts Toby?! I'm not going to leave you out here to die!"

"There's not time Mavis. Please...Take her and go."

"Percy!" Mavis begged. "Talk sense into him!"

"He knows the rule." Duck said coldly. "Run out of supplies, and you get left behind."

Percy was silent at first. Finally he spoke. "...Accept Toby's request"

Mavis felt a tear on her face. But she quietly coupled up to Henrietta, and looked back at Toby as the group moved on. She stopped once, but Percy bumped her to make her keep going. Toby watched his friends go. and in farewell, he rang his bell a final time.

Not more than an hour passed when Toby heard a horn. "They have come." he thought to himself.

"Well well well...What do we have here." Diesel sneered. "Looks like an old steamie ready for the scrap heaps. Take him away!" 

As Diesel's henchengines oiled up, Toby said nothing. He was willing to accept his fate. And he hoped, maybe, it would give the other's time to escape.

It had only been almost two days, and one engine was already down. Oliver figured by now, the diesels had seen they were gone, and were probably out tracking them down. Although it had stopped snowing, the engines were forced to go slower due to the snow covered tracks. Duke lead on, though took notice of the silence in the group. Even his thoughts were on Toby. But there was nothing he could do to fix it. Finally, in the afternoon, Mavis broke the silence.

"Percy...I feel guilty." she said, looking down. The cold had cracked part of her cowcatcher.

"We had no choice.." he started.

"We could have pushed him! Or pulled him along!" she sighed. "It just doesn't feel right...Leaving him to die like that."

Percy looked at Mavis with a sympathetic expression. He wasn't sure how to make Mavis feel better. Thomas had considered speaking, though by advice from Annie and Clarabell, he left them to sort it out. 

Evening came around. Duke had mentioned they were roughly a quarter of the way there. And though none wanted to, they needed to stop and rest awhile. "We're no good if we can't think or see straight." he said. Duck agreed, and order that everyone settle down for a bit. Douglas coughed a bit and looked up at the overcast sky. 

Donald looked to his twin. "Feelin' alright?"

"Aye..Just tired. A wee bit of a boiler ache too. Donne worry 'bout me." he responded. "Ye rest, ah will too in a bit." 

Donald was still concerned, though the want to sleep overtook him. Douglas watched his twin, listening to his snoring, then looked back at the sky. He too tried to rest, however, the boiler ache was keeping him awake.


	2. Declining Moods, Failing Health

Morning came. And yet, it didn't feel like much of a morning. Douglas had barely slept, and his boiler ache had worsened. He yawned and sighed, just as Donald was waking up. 

"Douggie? Ye feelin' alright?"

It took Douglas a minute to comprehend what his twin asked. "Ach? Aye...Aye Ah'm fine." But it was becoming more clear he wasn't.

Duck woke up next. "We best get moving." he said. He biffed Duke, startling the older engine awake. "Patience Duck, patience." he said calmly. "We will get nowhere if we bicker and fight."

"Take a chillbox, Duck." Mavis growled, having been awake for awhile. "You've already been cold and blunt since before we started!"

"And we had to leave Toby behind because of your rule." commented Edward. He gave an annoyed wheesh of steam.

"You all agreed on the terms." Duck said flatly. "And Toby was the one who chose to stay behind, even if that choice was driven by another reason."

"You would leave behind any of us who ran out of supplies." Gordon snorted. "Should have known a tank engine would come up with a plan that terrible. Though Toby was old and slowing us down."

"Agreed." commented James. "We're moving faster without him."

"Now you two stop it there!" Mavis snapped. "That's no way to speak of Toby! He was a dear friend and though you aren't showing it, I know you cared about him!" Gordon and James went silent.  
Duck rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's go." With a wheesh of steam, the group headed onward, though the cold and the drifts. 

As the engines rolled on, Donald couldn't help but notice Douglas's sluggish movements and lack of observance. His twin was struggling to stay awake and keep up with the group, which worried him. For a brief while, it seemed he had passed out, so Donald pushed him along until he felt his twin move forward on his own power.

"Ach, Duck?" He called. "Could we 'a stop for a bit?"

"We'll stop when we reach the first station." Duck called. Donald glanced down, his concerns rising. "And..How far is that?"

"We will be there by nightfall." Duke answered. "Try and keep going." he advised. 

"Duck will run us to the ground for sure.." muttered Mavis. Edward looked at her, though didn't speak. He figured she was having 'one of her moods.'

Things were not great for the runaways, though it was worse for Toby, who the diesels had taken back to Sodar. The sky was dark from smog, and there seemed to be more scrapped steamies lying around than normal. 

"Well tram?" Diesel questioned. "You gonna tell us where your friends are going?"

Toby was silent. He stared ahead, not looking at anything in particular. 

"Maybe a little 'persuasion' from Big Brother is what you need.." Diesel backed aside and allowed a much larger and meaner looking diesel to come forward.

"Well well, it's the Old Teapot." Spat Diesel 10. Toby scowled slightly, though still said nothing. "I remember you. Now where are those other Puffballs going. Tell me and I might spare you for a museum."  
Toby still kept quiet. He knew that was the one thing the diesels couldn't stand. Plus, he felt too weak to speak.

"We're not getting anything out of him." One diesel said, rolling his eyes. "Just get to the fun part already!"

Diesel 10 smiled. And oily smooth smile. "Well, let's pay the smelters yard a little visit.."

Diesel gave Toby a hard buff, making the tram jolt a bit. His bell barely chimed as he was shoved closer and closer to the very place he'd had nightmares of since his first accident.

"You have one more chance." Diesel 10 sneered though the red lights and the flying sparks. "Where are your friends going."

It was the first time since arrival that Toby had spoken. "You won't find them."

Pinchy snapped and created a few sparks. Diesel 10 sneered. "Fine, out-of-date tram! You had your chance, now you will pay for your stubbornness with your life!" A large claw started to descend, and the diesels back away. Toby flinched as the claw gripped onto him, cracking the wood of his sides.

"Farewell my friends....I hope you find safety at the Narrow Guage, and a new line to work. And I hope you take care of Henreitta for me." A few sharp pains followed his final thought, then there was nothing.

With that dirty job done, the diesels were sent to continue their search for the other steamies.

By this point, it was night, again. The temperature dropped, and with it, Douglas' strength. The pains in his boiler has become sharp, and it hurt to release steam. Still, the twin was pushing on, determined to reach the station. It seemed like forever, but finally, Duke said they had made it, and there was a chance to resupply their water. Douglas weakly moved to a siding. Donald followed him.

"Ye aren't well. Ah can see that." he said.

"Ah'm just..Tired." Douglas responded. "Ah didne sleep well last night."

Donald wasn't buying it. He knew his twin was feeling sick. This had happened a few times before, which had always left him thinking there was an underlying problem. Douglas had always pushed it aside, though this time, he couldn't.

"Ye try an' sleep. Ah'll stay up tonight." Donald offered. Douglas gave a low whistle of gratitude, then tried to sleep. The warmth of his twin's boiler and smokebox was oddly comforting, and it aided his uneasy rest.


	3. A Narrow Escape

"Do we 'ave to leave? Right now?" Donald asked Duck that chilly morning. Douglas was still sleeping, and still in pain.

"We need to keep going if we want to reach the Narrow Gauge. Duke says we're taking a detour today as it is." Duck said nothing more of it.

"Douggie? Tis time ta go." Donald said quietly.

"Ach? Aye..." Douglas answered sleepily. Once he was more awake, the boiler pains became sharper. He grunted as he wheeshed some steam, then followed his twin.

Duke lead on through the mountains. There were rocks all around, and one loud noise could send them all falling. There was some quiet chatter between Thomas and Percy, though most were just too tired to say much. Mavis was more sad than tired. Edward caught onto this.

"Thinking about Toby?" he asked.

"Ever since we left him.." she answered. 

"It wasn't right." she muttered. The cold made the tear on her face almost freeze as it fell to the tracks. Edward was not sure what to say, he knew there wasn't a way to comfort her.

"Just move on with your life already. Toby chose to stay behind anyway." James said flatly. "You're making a big deal out of it by being over emotional."

"While I somewhat agree with you James, you're being too harsh on her." Henry commented.

"Shh!" hissed Duke. "I hear something.." The other engines listened. 

"It's..Diesels." Emily said.

"Keep going." Duke cautioned. "Be as quiet as possible, but keep going."

The diesels came into view. Bill and Ben had a terrible idea, and without saying anything about it, they blew their whistles.

"Now you've done it!" Duck snapped as snow and rocks started to slide. The engines rushed on. The diesels were left behind in the snow and rockslide, but the words of one had bitten into Mavis as she followed the steamies.

"Pity there isn't a tram to go with that coach!" The voice seemed to cut through all her other thoughts,

They were still in the mountains by nightfall. It was snowing again, and the tracks were slick. They had made it to a flatter section and stopped to rest.

"My axles hate me for this." Duke said, trying to lighten the mood. Duck however, was angry at Bill and Ben. 

"You two could have gotten us all killed! Even though we got lucky this time, you can't do that again. It's too dangerous." He moved to a sheltered spot where trees were thick and he gave a long sigh. Oliver knew he was exasperated and tired. They all were, really.

Bill and Ben didn't seem too phased by Duck, which worried Toad. "What will they do next.." he wondered.

The night was cold and snowy, though it had let up by morning. The sun was barely up and Duck was already ordering everyone to get going. The engines grumbled to themselves, though cooperated. Duke said they would be out of the mountains by nightfall, and their journey would be halfway complete.

"Ugh, I'll need a shower once we reach the Narrow Gage." groaned James.

"Is that all you can think about?" Edward questioned, not amused.

"Well you aren't supposed to see my paint so filthy."

"None of us really care about details like that right now."

"Maybe you don't, since you are old and always dirty, but I am an engine of standards."

"Must I bring up that story Toby told me about you needing bootlaces to be ready to pull your train?"

Emily snickered at Edward's comment to James, as the red tender engine went silent.

Duck rolled his eyes. "Less talking, more puffing." he said, following Duke. Oliver and Toad were close behind him. All the engines were close to each other, except Douglas. He struggled to keep steam and speed, and was shaking a bit from overworking himself.

Donald caught onto this and slowed down, crossing over on a connecting track and getting behind his twin. "Ye relax, Ah'm pushin' ye for a bit." Douglas felt too weak to argue with Donald. He gave a painful wheesh of steam, and stopped using his own power to move along. Donald had to work harder to make up for the both of them, but to him, it was worth it. Douglas' pain subsided for awhile, only to rise again. The cycle repeated as Donald pushed him forward.

"Donald?" Douglas's voice was low and weak.

"Aye?" the twin answered.

"....Thank ye."

"Think nothin' of it, Ah'm happy ta help ye."

Bill and Ben snickered, ready to play their next trick. Little did they know Douglas was depending on his twin at this time to keep him moving. The two smaller engines slowed down, coming closer to the black Scottish tender engines. 

"Maybe you should go faster." Bill commented. 

"Duck doesn't like engines who fall behind." added Ben.

"We're doing our best." Donald said. "An' we're keepin' up."

"If you say so. Though he's considering leaving you two since you are a good distance behind." With that said, they hurried back to the group. Donald knew Bill and Ben were right, they were falling behind.  
"Douggie? Ah'm gonna go a bit faster. Make sure ya 'ave ya breaks ready ta use."

"Aye Donald.." Douglas responded. 

The slick tracks would bring the next disaster.


	4. Death and Pain

"Slow down everyone." Duke warned. "This tracks are not properly cared for, and they are slippery."

"Vision conditions are getting worse too." Duck added as snow started falling more heavily. The sun was setting and the temperatures were dropping colder than any of the other nights they had been out. Duck was wondering if they should push on. Perhaps stopping would be too dangerous due to the cold.

Donald, however, was in a hurry to catch up to the group. Neither he or Douglas could see well though, and just as Duke had warned, both slid on the icy rails. Donald was able to hit his breaks and slow down, however, Douglas wizzed forward, yelling something in Scot's Gaelic.

"Douglas!" Duck and Donald shouted. Everyone stopped and watched in horror as the black twin engine zoomed forward. He hit an icy section on the track while going down the hill, which made him derail and land sideways in a snowbank. The other engines hurried down cautiously.

"Douggie! Douggie! Are ye alright?" Donald rushed up to his twin. Douglas lay in the snow, dazed from what just happened. His eyes trailed up Donald, painfully. His wheels and tender ached horribly, more so than the rest of his body. "Nay.." he spoke, his voice almost a whisper. "Ah'm not..."

"Douglas!" Duck called as he moved closer. He had not been expecting anything like this to happen. And it was then the massive flaw in his escape plan came clear to his mind.

The other engines gathered, inspecting the twin. Snow was falling faster, and the sun had gone down by now. Bill and Ben were silent with fear.

"Douggie..." Donald gulped back his sadness. Douglas looked up at him, shivering a bit as the falling snow stuck to him. 

"Duck!" Donald pleaded. "Ah need help pullin' me brother back onto th' rails!"

Duck was somber. "Donald...Look at him. If he was still upright we could have tried."

"We canne just leave him here!" Donald begged, desperation in his voice. "We need ta at least try!"

Douglas struggled to stay awake as more snow fell on him. He gave a wheesh of steam, trying to melt some of the snow and stay warm, though it was a waste of his energy instead. He shivered a bit, feeling his body temperature drop down.

Duke frowned a bit. "Even if we did get him out, he's spilled most of his coal, will be in pain for some time, and has lost a lot of heat. I am concerned he--" Duke cut himself off. He didn't want to be the one to tell Donald the lingering-over-their-funnels truth.

"Donald..." Duck bit his tongue for a moment. "Douglas is....Beyond our help." The other engines were silent with shock. The words hit Donald harder than anything he had ever felt. Oliver too was greatly affected by this statement, as it had been Douglas who saved him from scrap.

"N-no.." Donald stammered. He looked to Douglas, however, the tender engine lay in the snow, silent. "Ah..Ah want ta stay with me twin!"

Duck started to speak, however, Duke interrupted him. "Duck, we need to respect his decision."

"It's your choice. We are leaving in the morning if you come or not." With that, Duck moved to the front of the group. The others moved as well, giving Donald some time with Douglas. He stayed beside him that entire night, watching with sorrow as the falling snow buried his twin.

"Donnie?" Douglas's weak voice would have gone unnoticed had Donald not been awake still.

"What is it Douggie?"

"..Go with Duck an' th' others tomarrow."

"Ah canne leave ye.."

"Ye must...By mornin' Ah won't be here."

"Douglas..Donne say thins like that! Maybe there's still a chance we can get ye movin' again!"

"Ah'm beyond help. Ah've no heat, an' no coal..Ah feel weak an' Ah feel pain." He looked at Donald a final time, then closed his eyes.

Morning came, though none felt excited to see the sunlight. Bill and Ben felt guilty in particular. They moved over to Duke, who gave a wheesh of steam in greeting. 

"We shouldn't have made that joke to Donald last night." Bill said.

Duke was confused. "What joke?"

"Well...Before the accident, we saw Donald and Douglas falling behind..We said Duck would leave them behind which made them go faster and..You know the rest." Ben admitted quietly.

Duke sighed. "What happened was a terrible accident. You both were reckless and foolish, however, you didn't bring about Douglas's...Passing."

Bill and Ben believed Duke, but they still felt bad.

"Time to go," Duck said without an ounce of emotion in his voice. Mavis flinched at how unfeeling he was, then looked at Percy and Thomas.

"Do you think he's upset too..?" she asked.

"Probably, but I doubt he wants us to know it." Thomas answered. Annie and Clarabell agreed with him.

Donald was watching the other engines leave, then turned his attention to the snow which had piled onto Douglas, leaving only part of his tender visible.

".........Goodbye Douggie.." he sniffled.


	5. Chapter 5

"Rheneas and Skarloey will be waiting for us at the junction that leads us up to the Narrow Gauge." Duke announced as the group puffed on. "Hopefully, they will have the extra coal cars too."

Duck looked back at the Scottish Twins as they pressed on. He felt more sorrow building up, but suppressed it and chuffed on. Emily pretended she didn't see the single tear run down his cheek.   
Since all seemed dull, Percy thought he could strike up some conversation. "Nice uhh..Wether we have."

"It is." agreed Thomas. "Right Mavis?"

"A bit too cold for me." she commented.

"Maybe things will be better when we reach the Narrow Gauge."

Mavis didn't seem convinced. "I doubt things will ever be better for any of us. We've lost friends, we're outcasts from what we once called home..And most of us are much too big to make it into the hills."  
"Mr. Percival will take care of you and find some sort of work to do." Duke said with a small smile. "Just be patient."

Meanwhile, Donald was still with his deceased twin. The sound of diesels echoed in the hills, though he couldn't say he cared. A grouping of ten of them came up.

"What's the matter little tendered steamie?" one asked smoothly. "Were you left behind too?"

"Nay..Ah chose ta stay behind." Donald responded, looking down.

The diesels looked to Douglas. A terrible idea then came to their minds.

"If you are waiting for someone to help your twin...We have a way of doing that."

"Ye..Do?"

"Of course. Come, follow us. Diesel will get you a crane and even Douglas fixed up if you return to Sodar."

Any other time, Donald would have never even spoken to the diesels, let alone believed them. However, he was at a state where he would do anything to get his twin back. To be running side by side with him.

"Ah'll do anythin' ta 'ave Douglas with me again." 

The diesels grinned. Two of the escorted Donald back with them, the remaining eight pressed on to find the other steamies.

Meanwhile, Duck and the other engines had reached the crossing. And waiting for them were Rheneas and Skarloey, each with five coal cars. 

"Glad to see you have made it!" shouted Rheneas. "We were getting worried you were lost in the mountains."

"There was less trouble than expected, but more losses than we wanted." Duke replied. "Our journey took us more days than it should have due to the snow and bad weather." An oily purring sound made the engines go silent. Mavis shuddered "It's..It's diesels! They have been following us this entire time!"

"What should do do Duck?" Henry asked? Duck didn't respond, his mind was on other things.

"Stay here! I'm gonna try to lure them off!" Mavis backed up quickly.

"Wait!" Percy shouted. "You still have Henrietta!" However, Mavis didn't hear him. She backed down to where the diesels were and gave them all a quick look. They were larger and meaner looking than she.  
"Well well well. What do we have here." One diesel snickered.

"A little lost diesel lady with.." He squinted. "Is that a tram coach?" They all started laughing. Mavis growled. Then they stared at her. "You're part of the runaways! Get her!" he shouted to the diesels. Mavis fled back up the track, hoping the others had gone ahead. She beat the other diesels up, and saw that James had jsut gone up the track, Edward and Henry had yet to leave, Bill and Ben were pushing Gordon to make him go faster, and Rheneas and Skarloey were waiting on the right track.

"Move it!" Mavis snapped. "There's eight diesels on their--" she turned, seeing the diesels pull up. "...way." The diesels laughed. "Silly steamies! Supid Steamie Lover! Mavis you could have been a great compainion to Diesel." Mavis looked disgusted. The diesels circled around them on a cutover track. "Diesel 10 will be pleased." With that said, they pushed Mavis, Edward, Henry, Rheneas and Skarloey back to their new hideout in Sodar. The journey was long and tiring, even more so going back than leaving. The diesels knew many shortcuts however, which cut down the travel time, and the weather was clear now. It was to the edge of Sodar that the five engines saw a very terrifying sight: Donald was in the yard with two diesels!


	6. Chapter 6

"Donald?! What the hell are you doing here??" Mavis growled. "With DIESELS. You and your twin hate diesels.."

Donald backed up a bit and looked to Mavis. "Aye! Ah do despise diesels. But they offa'ed me somethin' ya didn't. They said Douglas can be saved." 

"Donald..You must be out of your mind to think that." Edward said slowly. 

Rheneas and Skarloey were confused, but they didn't dare ask. Now would be a terrible time to do it, so they listened instead.

"Ya are so certain he's gone, ye just up an' left us the next mornin'!"

"Donald.." Edward moved closer, but a diesel biffed him. "Come on you, we're paying the smelters yard a little visit." Donald looked to the diesel, who added a "just kidding." though Edward knew better.  
"You two shrimps are of no use to use.." the sixth diesel sneered to Rheneas and Skarloey. "You're too small, and not part of this railway. Can't risk scrapping you as that would bring in attention. Something we don't want. Get these two out of here." The tenth diesel shoved the two small engines off. Mavis, Edward and Henry watched with concern. Donald looked like he could care less. The diesel behind Edward pushed him towards the smelters, while Henry and Mavis were taken back to a shed. Donald stayed with the other diesels.

"I don't need to ask what's gone to his smokebox..." Mavis muttered as she looked at Henry.

"Whatever it is, won't end well for you. You might get out though."

"A chance fat as Mr. Percival." Mavis replied. "I'm a "traitor to diesels" since I am not on their side of this fight."

"Shut up before we forcefully make you do so ourselves!" the other diesels snapped. The diesels behind them backed up as Diesel 10 moved forward, with Pinchy snapping away in a hungry manner. It made the two other engines shudder a bit.

"Well well well. A big green praying mantis and a little black fly with a long tail." he laughed. "Not a great catch, but it will still be fun watching Pinchy squish you. I would have converted the bigger one into a diesel but he's no use to use even if we tried, so we'll just watch him get melted down." Diesel 10 looked at Mavis next. "As for you...We're still deciding what we will do with you."

Mavis spat. "I don't die easily."

Diesel 10 grinned. "No. but your little tram friend did. How sweet that he trusted you with his prized coach.."

Mavis flinched. Diesel 10's words hit her on the spot.

Meanwhile, the other engines were telling their stories about leaving Sodar. Sir Handel and Peter Sam were glad to be with Duke again, but were sad to hear of the engines who had been lost along the way.  
"Such a shame.." Peter Sam said softly. "And Donald stayed with his deceased twin?"

Duke gave a sigh. "He doesn't want to accept what happened. I'm sure it's difficult, considering as long as they have been alive, they have been togeather. However, life and death aren't something we can meddle with."

"However, all is not perfect. Rheneas and Skarloey were captured along with a few other engines. I am going back to track them down, you two find Mr. Percival and let him know the others have arrived."

"Duke..Are you sure going alone is safe?"

"No. Though I'll go faster by myself." With that, he steamed off quickly.

Meanwhile, Mavis crept out from the shed when the diesels left for a short bit. She hurried off to the smelters, avoiding any engine she saw. The heat made her sweat a bit, and it only got hotter the farther in she moved. She squinted in the red light, and spotted the outline of a tender engine.

"....Edward?" she called.

"Mavis? Why are you here? You need to leave, swiftly, before the diesels return."

"Edward, why aren't you trying to escape...?"

"There's no water in my tank. And you have no way of bringing any to me."

Mavis growled and moved closer. "I'm gonna get you out of here." She crossed over on the track and began to push Edward out, the heat almost enough to make her buffers melt. They were just getting out, when the diesels showed up.

"Where is he going?" one growled.

"Just down the line." Mavis said in a nasty tone, trying to sound like them. She pushed Edward along, wanting to move faster. But one thing gave her away, and ti was something she should have remembered from the last time.

"Halt, traitor! And don't try and lie your way out of this, no diesel would be running around with a tram coach if she was really with us!"

Mavis didn't respond, she shoved Edward forward and tried to move faster. But a diesel stood in the track facing her, and she had to stop.

"We'll let you live, but..." a diesel grinned with a very disgusting thought in mind. "But you are gonna watch your steamie friend here get it."

Mavis wasn't sure what to say or do. Another diesel pulled up and shunted Edward back to the smelters.

"It was a good try Mavis...Thank you for doing your best." Edward called, looking back at her.

"Edward I...I'm sorry!" Mavis cried. A diesel shoved her along and cornered her in part of the smelters where she had a good view of what was going on. Edward showed no fear, even though Mavis knew he was not as calm as he seemed.

"Stop! I'll stay behind if he can go. Just don't scrap him!" Mavis snapped. The diesels simply laughed.

Edward felt only one regret as the fire slowly melted his body. And that one thing he wished he could have changed, was having to say goodbye to friends when he was trying to escape. It was a fleeting dream, and he had known it. 

She watched the fiery death of the tender engine, and the heat of the smelters evaporated her tears before they fell. Thoughts of Toby came and went, and she wondered what he was thinking when he went though this inferno from hell. The heat was unbearable, and yet, Edward made no sound as the inferno did it's nasty job.

"Why couldn't I have saved Toby or Edward....Why did we have to loose our home, and loose so many friends along the way.." 

It felt like forever, and yet it all happened so fast. Mavis hurried out, terrified and heartbroken. The final words from Edward, telling her to run and save herself while she had the chance, and such a sight, something she never wanted to see again. She sped off, determined to get as far away as possible. Such a speed, she had never reached before. She was going so fast, she almost didn't see Duke. Her brakes screeched as she stopped.

"Duke! Why are you going to that hell on this island?!"


	7. A Heroic Sacrifice

"I came looking for you and--" Duke heard another engine. His eyes caught sight of Peter Sam and Sir Handel as they arrived.

"Didn't I tell you two to stay behind?" He wasn't happy.

"Yes, you did." started Sir Handel.

"But we thought you would need help.." finished Peter Sam.

"Don't get into a fight over it now." growled Mavis. "I've seen enough awful things here and I want to get away as fast as possible."

"Where are Rheneas and Skarloey? Are they with Edward and Henry?"

"Edward's dead now."

Duke was shocked. He dared not ask more, the expression Mavis had was enough to tell him what happened.

"I am sorry, Mavis. No engine.." Duke looked at Henrietta. "or coach should ever watch something like that.."

"I don't know where the others are..But all I can promise is they are dead, or will be."

"Peter Sam, Sir Handel, escort Mavis back to the Narrow Gauge." Duke ordered, and the other two listened. They set off slowly, while Duke ventured forward. There were few diesels around, which made Duke concerned. Perhaps they were planning to set a trap for him. He checked different sheds and sidings, on one which he found Rheneas and Skarloey. The small red engines had been hiding, and were happy to see Duke.

"Do you two know where Henry is?" he asked.

"We last saw him at a shed....Until some diesels came." Skarloey looked at Rheneas, who finished for him.

"And those diesels did with him, what they did to Edward..Only he was louder about it." They shuddered a bit, and Duke felt a chill go down his boiler.

"We are leaving. Now." He backed down the line, and the other two followed him quickly, all the while, looking for diesels.

"I remember hearing a diesel telling Donald they were going to help Douglas.." Rheneas said thoughtly. Duke's expression soured.

"They are just using him. If they do, somehow, disturb Douglas's resting place, my guess is they will have both scrapped, even if it's only one who feels the phyical pain. They are taking advantage of Donald and he doesn't see it in his current state..."

Skarloey started to speak, but he stayed silent. The engines could hear diesels all around.

"Go. GO!" Duke snapped as the two red engines hurried off. He followed them, keeping pace as they started back through the moutains, hoping the diesels had no tracks to lead up there.  
"They are gaining on us!" Rheneas gasped.

"Keep going, don't focus on them." Duke advised as they picked up speed, and took the roughest mountain tracks. The only advantage they had was their small size meant they could get into tight places. However, it also meant they were slower than normal engines, and they were already worn out from days of travel.

"Keep going.." Duke's voice was weaker. He could see, down into the valley, Peter Sam with Sir Handel and Mavis. The diesels were gaining on them all, and some were foolish enough to try and go up the mountain after them. He knew there was a way he could save his friends, but the cost would be his life. "You two stay together, get down to the others and get back to the Narrow Gauge.."

"Duke..? What are you doing?" Skarloey quietly asked.

"Giving you all time to escape. Now please...Do as I say. Go, and don't look back."

"Duke..?"

"Go. And be careful." No sooner had he spoken, did he roll backwards down the hill. The noise caught Sir Handel, Peter Sam, and Mavis' attention. They were looking up at the mountain, and they saw Duke zooming towards the diesels. There was a crash, an explosion, and then three engines, two diesels and one small steamie, fell over the edge.

"DUKE!!" The group all shouted in horror.

Duke's plan had worked. The others got away and the diesels had been held up. But none were happy. The pain of loss was all around, and further enforced as they reached the Narrow Gauge. 

"Why did Duke..Do that?" Mavis asked as they stopped at the wharf.

Rheneas gave a sigh. "He sacrificed himself so we could escape...Duke is, and will always be remembered as a hero."

Peter Sam looked down at the track. He didn't want to admit it, but he missed Duke terribly. Sir Handel could sense this, though he said nothing of it. "Maybe there's a chance we can save Donald.."

"I don't think he wants to be saved." Skarloey said. 

The other engines had gathered to greet the others, but were sad to hear what happened to Duke. Percy tried to cheer up Mavis and Henrettia, though neither really felt like smiling. Thomas missed Edward, and though James didn't show it, he did too. Gordon felt like he had lost another sibling, knowing Henry was gone now. Duck stood silently and stiffly, and that was enough hint to Oliver that he was upset.

"Duck..?" He asked.

Duck gritted his teeth. A tear rolled down his cheek. ".....I need to find Donald." He sped off before Oliver or Toad could say anything.


	8. Chapter 8

"DUCK! WAIT!" Oliver hurried after his fellow Great Western Engine, laving Toad with the group. "DUCK!!"

Duck sped down the track. "I shouldn't have let him stay behind, I shouldn't have let him stay behind.." he growled as he puffed faster. He ignored Oliver and continued to gain speed.

"DUCK!" Oliver shouted desperately.

"Don't try and stop me Oliver. I need to find Donald." Dark clouds gathered and wind picked up. He ran over some fallen branches and snapped them with his wheels. 

"Duck listen! You'll be scrapped it you go back there!"

"So will Donald, if I don't help him!"

"You'll both be scrapped!"

"Then at least I know I will die trying to save him!"

Oliver knew Duck had made up his mind. He kept after him, but knew there was no turning back now. The soon reached the mountain, just as the wind blew coldest, and snow began to fall. Duck slowed down and made his way towards the place were Douglas had died. Oliver followed him, feeling nervous. They both stopped near by, and they could see a group of four diesels with a breakdown crane. Donald was there, watching them.

"Donald..?" Duck asked quietly as he inched forward. He was hoping to get him away form the diesels.

Donald heard his voice. He glanced in Duck and Oliver's direction. He then looked back at the diesels.

"Having second thoughts?" one asked.

"Of caurse naught! Ah want me twin back more than ye know it." but Donald was wondering if a recuse like that was possible. Douglas had been in that spot for days now.   
Duck couldn't watch diesels disturbing Douglas's final resting place like this. He moved out and revealed himself. The diesels gasped. Oliver bite his tongue.

"Why are ye here." Donald asked bluntly.

"I'm here to take you back."

"Ah'm not going without me twin."

"Donald, you can't deny that your twin is dead."

"Duck, ye don't understand mah pain! Ye nevea had a brother! A twin, that ye 'ad known all ye life!"

"No." Duck said bluntly. "I never had a brother. But I had a sister, and all I could do was watch when the Western Railway sold her. And I never saw her again."

Donald wasn't sure how to respond. Two diesels slinked behind him, and took a cutover track to get behind Duck. They started to creep over, one with a blowtorch fired up. Donald noticed this.  
"Duck! Watch out!" he shouted. Duck sped forward, and the truth was all too clear to Donald.

"Ye...Ye never intened ta fix Douglas. Only scrap us both." He gave a powerful wheesh of steam. 

The diesels knew they had been found out. "Yes." One grinned. "We were gonna do that." Oliver moved forward. 

"Leave this place. Now." 

The diesels smiled in a nasty way as they backed up. "Just you three wait. We'll get you, and your friends one day. " They back away as the snow fell fastered, and they vanished into the fog.  
Duck was not convinced they were gone. However, he decided they best be going of they wanted to return to the Narrow Gauge before nightfall. Oliver listened to the two other engines while they spoke.

"Donald...I'm sorry." Duck said as the moved on. "I hope you know that...You did all you could for Douglas, and your being there for his passing was comforting I am sure."

Donald looked at Duck. "Ah...Ah miss him so much."

"I should have made us hold out a few more days, just until he was feeling better."

"Ah understand why we had ta leave when we did. Any longer an' we may 'ave lost our chance."

Duck started to speak, when he heard a noise. One diesel, the one with a blowtorch, had been following them, and the falling snow had muffled his sound until he was close.

"Donald! Oliver! Watch out!" Duck shouted and he backed up. His rear buffers hit the diesel, sending him backwards. He yelled in defeat as a rock on the track made him slide and derail on the siding. His blowtorch had flung into the air, and fell onto Duck seering part of the "GWR" lettering off his right side, before falling onto the ground. Oliver and Donald stared, too shocked to speak. For a moment, there was silence. Oliver spoke at last.

"Duck? Are you alright?"

Duck wheeshed. "No. Don't wait around for me to say what's wrong, just get back to the Narrow Gauge."

"And leave you behind? We're not going that." Oliver said firmly. He looked to Donald, who had already moved behind Duck onto a cutover track. He buffered up and gently pushed him forward.

"..Why are you helping me. After all the torment I caused for you, and our friends." He coughed.

"Friends help each other." Donald answered.


	9. Chapter 9

The three engines made it back to the narrow Gauge. Upon arrival, they saw Rheneas speaking with Mr. Percival.

"Perhaps you could buy some of the land from Sodar."

"We shall see. For now, you all will just have to work at the wharf." he answered. "There's lots of jobs you all can do, and there's extra sheds you may stay in."

The other engines turned their attention from Mr. Percival, to Oliver, Duck, and Donald as they puffed in.

"Goodness!" Mr. Percival shouted when he saw Duck. "What happened to you?"

Duck opened his eyes, and took a moment to consider the question. "It's..Nothing. It's just a mark from a blowtorch."

"That will need to be fixed. However, the equipment from the repair yard won't be here for another few days. I'll have some workmen put some temporary patching on it for now."

"Thank you sir.." Duck said, another weak cough following his statement. Donald gently pushed him to a shed, then backed in to the berth next to him. Both dozed longer than intended, and weren't awake again until early next morning. Men had come during the night and patched Duck's side, though the scar from the blowtorch was still visible. The drowsy engines could hear Bill and Ben talking near by.

"Hey Ben! Gordon looks kinda blue!"

"Right Bill? Maybe he's seasick!"

"Or maybe he IS the sea!"

"The indignity!" huffed Gordon. The twins simply laughed and sped off, chanting "Sea time blues! Sea time blues!"

Mr. Percival came a little later that morning. "For now, I have assigned you larger engines to the wharf, until I can find more jobs for you. I assure you in time, there will be more to do."

"We appreciate it, sir." Duck said softly. The two engines left the sheds and puffed down to the wharf, and without much thought, started to shunt coal cars around. Donald thought he saw a familiar engine's tender among the coal cars. He shrugged it off, yet Duck thought he'd seen the same thing.

"Donald?"

"Aye?"

"I don't think we're alone here.."

"Yer jus' seein' things. Ah'm too, probably."

"I could have sworn I saw Douglas among these coal cars though.."

It wasn't just Duck and Donald who thought they had seen someone. While Sir Handel and Peter Sam were taking a coal train up the mountains, they reached a junction. 

"We'll go right." Peter Sam said.

"No no, we're going left, up the hill." Sir Handel protested.

"Right!"

"Left!"

"Stop bickering and go right." a third voice called, echoing in the hills. Both engines went silent.

"I didn't say that..It--It sounded like Duke's voice! Are we being haunted?" Peter Sam started to panic. Even Sir Handel felt shaken. Rheneas was just coming down the hill on the tracks beside them, when he asked: "Did you hear that voice?"

"YES!" both engines shouted. The three wondered about it for a bit, then hurried along with their trains.

Gordon and James had their fair share of scares that day as well. James complained his cars had been shunted to the wrong line, while Gordon told him his coaches were found in a siding by Mavis.

They all gathered that night to discuss the strange events.

"Some trucks were moving by themselves!" Mavis squeaked. Henrietta, who was still with her, had seen it too.

"I broke down while going up the hill to a village, and I heard an engine say he'd help me. But when I looked back, there wasn't anyone there, even though I was where I needed to be." Skarloey added.

"I thought I saw a ghost following me!" Percy piped up. Thomas agreed he'd seen it too.

"We'll sleep on it, and figure it out tomorrow." Duck yawned. "It's too late for any of us to think."

That night, Donald had a strange dream. The tracks were misty, and there wasn't much light out. He didn't know where he was, but what frightened him more was being alone. He was about to call ot when he heard a familiar engine's whistle.

"...Douggie? Is that ye?"

The black twin came out from behind some rocks and trees. "Aye, tis me Donnie."

"Ye seem...Different. Ah can almost see through ye."

"Ah'm still Douglas..Just. As a ghost naow."

Donald stared. Then he remembered the accident. He approached his twin, looking up at him. Douglas moved gracefully down to the track in front of his twin. He didn't need a crane, or tracks to do so.

"Douggie..." Donald moved a bit closer, Douglas pressed his buffers to those of his twin. Both stood in silence at first.

"Ah once promised, wherever ye go, Ah would follow." Douglas said. "Ah may not be by ye side physically, yet if ye look hard enough, Ah'm still there. Still followin' still beside ye."

"Then...It was you I saw in the yards last night.."

"Aye. T'was."

"Will we ever be together again..?"

"We will in good time, Donnie. Ah promise, not even death will do us part, not forever. If ye feel alone sometime, jus' look 'round. Ah'll be there, one way, or another."

Donald sniffed. Douglas gave a weak smile to his twin. "Ah'll check on ye soon. For naow, there's work ye an' Duck should be gettin' to." He backed up a bit, and disappeared, just as Donald woke up that morning.


	10. Chapter 10

"Sleep well? I heard you mumbling a few times." Duck said softly as Donald yawned and tried to shake off his drowsiness.

"Ach? Aye...." he muttered. His thoughts were still on the dream. After a few more minutes of quietly sitting, both engines left the shed. Some were working, some were sitting quietly. Percy and Mavis were on a siding, and, as she had been since the start of their terrible adventure, Mavis had Henrietta.

"Duck, Ah've been thinkin'." Donald said softly.

"What about, Donald?"

"Th' friends we lost along th' way...Ah feel like they are..Still here. Watchin' over us."

Duck gave a pained smile. "I'm sure you are right."

Oliver pulled up alongside them. "Those we've lost won't be gone from our hearts."

Skarloey pulled up next with Rusty, and tossed in his own comment, having heard their conversation. "I have a feeling Duke is judging all of us and making a mental list about everything that "doesn't suit his grace.""

"And will, somehow, tell us how to fix it." added Rusty.

Rheneas, who had joined him, piped up.

"And we know Toby will be watching out for Mavis, Henrietta and Percy." 

"The loveboat is about to set sail!" Ben giggled.

"OOOH OOOH." shouted Bill.

"What was that?!" Mavis shouted from across the wharf. "Nevermind, I can take the hint!" She and Percy joined them.

Finally, Donald spoke. 

"Ah know ah lost Douggie ta the cold. But Ah know he is still beside me. Still lookin' out fer me."

"Gordon and James will never say it, but they miss Henry and Edward." Percy added.

"We all miss someone." Thomas said with a sigh. 

"But for now, we will remember them fondly." Mavis forced a smile.

Sir Handel and Peter Sam joined them as they dropped off their morning train, which, they had been trying to run the way Duke had taught them. 

"What did we miss?" Peter Sam asked between gasps.

The other engines all smiled slightly. "We're just talking about found memories."

"Well, we've got a story for you then! Many, many years ago, when we were living with Duke on the old railways in the hills..."

And though they stayed unseen, the ghosts of the other engines joined their living friends in the wharf, and listened to the tale.


	11. Epilogue

A few months later.

"It seems they have settled in well to the Narrow Gauge." Duke had his attention on Duck and Donald, who were shunting in the yards. He then looked down to Peter Sam and Sir Handel hurrying down their line. Sir Handel's shouts could be heard as one of the trucks spilled. Duke sighed. "That would never suit His Grace."

Edward too, was watching. "There's more jobs for them now that Mr. Percival purchased part of Sodar."

"Ah hope Donnie doesn't get too lonely.." Douglas sighed quietly. "Ah miss bein' with him, even though Ah can watch him all day."

"I'm sure they will always have a special place for us." Toby tried to comfort him.

"Maybe now I can poke some fun at Gordon." Henry snickered a bit.

"Whatever comes, we will always be watching over them. That, is a promise. Even if it's for rather silly things..." Duke moved back a bit, so to block out the arguing of his two living friends. "I must wonder how they managed when I was locked away, it seems they haven't learned much."

"They'll be fine, once Skarloey gets some sense in them. Unless Mavis beats him to it." Toby laughed a bit. He looked to Henry, who was staring intensely down at the tracks.

"Ah..What are ye doin'?" Douglas asked. 

"I'm waiting for Gordon to complain about something." Henry responded. "I'm gonna haunt him."

The rest of the engines laughed.

"I doubt it will ever scare him as much as Bill and Ben wanting to dump him in the sea did." commented Edward.

The group was interrupted when another engine joined them. It was Stepney, much to their shock.

"Before you ask, no, I wasn't scrapped." He moved between Douglas and Edward. "I fell off the mountain."

"Again?" Duke commented.

Stepeny scrunched his face. "Yes, but this time, it didn't go so well. Now, why are all of you here?"

And so, the tale was told once again..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to my sister, AgentSandraCartrip for helping me write this story!


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